Sports

Early run the difference for Merino to defeat Prairie

Prairie sophomore Garrett Lindell (0) looks to make a pass around Merino defender Nathan Batt (13) in the first half at Merino High School on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. (Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times)

Box score

Merino 16 - 6 - 7 - 11 — 40

Prairie 10 - 6 - 8 - 8 — 32

Devin Littlefield: 19 points, 7-16 FG, 5 rebounds

Mitch Dollerschell: 5 points, 9 rebounds

Next game: @ Pawnee (Jan. 12, 7 p.m.)

MERINO — Friday's game between the Merino Rams and Prairie Mustangs was looking to be a fast, high-scoring game, based on the first quarter.

The game quickly turned into a much slower game with fewer points getting on the scoreboard.

Merino's 12-5 run to open the game in the first quarter made the difference for them to defeat Prairie 40-32, dropping the Mustangs to 2-7 on the season with the loss.

Prairie sophomore Xander Spiecher rises up to shoot a 3-point shot in the first half versus the Merino Rams at Merino High School on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. (Brandon Boles / Fort Morgan Times)

"It was a little sloppy. We kind of expected that coming back from break," Prairie coach Amber Whitlock said. "They play hard every time they step on the court. We just need to clean some things up."

Whitlock was not thrilled with her team's start. Cade Conger and Nathan Batt made the team's first three shots of the game for the Rams to give them a 6-0 lead. The Mustangs were forced to call timeout just over a minute into the game.

"We talked before the game that we thought they would get out and run if they could," Whitlock said. "I had to call timeout and reel the boys back in. We talked about releasing so we could try and slow them down. Whoever was on the ball had to stay on tight."

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Devin Littlefield came out of the timeout to hit a 3-point shot and put the Mustangs on the board, but the guards for Merino were still getting to the rim and hitting some shots when they settled for jumpers. Three different players scored in the quarter and the Rams made eight of the team's first 11 shots.

By the second quarter, the pace of the game was much slower. The Mustangs were able to string together some stops on defense, keeping them in the game.

Littlefield and Trent Holzworth scored six points in the second quarter to keep the Mustangs within six points of the Rams at the half. More scoring came from Littlefield in the second half at critical times to put the Mustangs within reach.

The two got some help from Mitch Dollerschell and Xander Spiecher in the fourth as both made some big shots to take the pressure off of the two leading scorers.

"We know teams realize that Trent (Holzworth) and Devin (Littlefield) are our top two options," Whitlock said. "I need everyone else to step up. It's a five-on-five game, and I think they are realizing that. They are going to step up and take on the challenge."

All of the scores by Prairie in the second half kept them close, but the team was unable to go on a big enough run to take the lead. By the late part of the fourth quarter, the Rams were coming away with second chance points to seal the win.

Littlefield led the Mustangs with 19 points and was the only player to score in double figures for the team. After allowing the Rams to shoot 72 percent from the field in the first quarter, Prairie held them to 32 percent shooting for the rest of the game.

The Mustangs will return to North Central League play on Jan. 12 to face the Pawnee Coyotes. Whitlock hopes to correct some of the mistakes from Friday's game in order to get the season back on track.

"We're going to clean it up and get back to working on the fundamentals," Whitlock said. "Right before break, we started focusing on the fundamentals. I think we're going to stick with that."

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